Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationship between reactants and products in a chemical reaction. In simple words, it is the calculation of how much of each substance is needed or produced in a reaction.
Key points about stoichiometry:
- It is based on the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
- It uses balanced chemical equations to show the exact ratio in which reactants combine and products form.
- It helps chemists calculate:
- How much reactant is required to complete a reaction.
- How much product will be obtained from a given amount of reactant.
- Which reactant will run out first (limiting reactant).
- Stoichiometry is widely used in laboratories, industries, and everyday life—for example, in making medicines, producing fertilizers, or baking, where ingredients must be in the right proportion.
In short, stoichiometry is the mathematics of chemistry, helping us connect the amounts of substances in a reaction.